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While phytoplankton play a key role in ocean biogeochemical cycles, the availability and supply pathways of resources that support their growth remain poorly constrained. Here, we show that the availability of various resources varies over several orders of magnitude throughout the Atlantic Ocean, causing regional contrasts in resource deficiency. Regional variations in the relative availability of nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, iron, zinc, manganese, cobalt, and cadmium are important and result from the contrasts between winter mixing depths and differences in vertical profiles of the different resources. The winter-time thickening of the mixed layer may replenish or deplete resources via entrainment, depending on the vertical nutrient profile. For nutrients like nitrate, phosphate, and cadmium, entrainment is a consistent source term. While for others, such as manganese and iron, entrainment can reduce ocean resource availability, particularly in subtropical regions. Any future change to the depth of winter-time mixing will cause region-specific changes in relative availability of different resources that may have important ecological consequences.

While phytoplankton play a key role in ocean biogeochemical cycles, the availability and supply pathways of resources that support their growth remain poorly constrained. Here, we show that the availability of various resources varies over several orders of magnitude throughout the Atlantic Ocean, causing regional contrasts in resource deficiency. Regional variations in the relative availability of nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, iron, zinc, manganese, cobalt, and cadmium are important and result from the contrasts between winter mixing depths and differences in vertical profiles of the different resources. The winter-time thickening of the mixed layer may replenish or deplete resources via entrainment, depending on the vertical nutrient profile. For nutrients like nitrate, phosphate, and cadmium, entrainment is a consistent source term. While for others, such as manganese and iron, entrainment can reduce ocean resource availability, particularly in subtropical regions. Any future change to the depth of winter-time mixing will cause region-specific changes in relative availability of different resources that may have important ecological consequences.

While phytoplankton play a key role in ocean biogeochemical cycles, the availability and supply pathways of resources that support their growth remain poorly constrained. Here, we show that the availability of various resources varies over several orders of magnitude throughout the Atlantic Ocean, causing regional contrasts in resource deficiency. Regional variations in the relative availability of nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, iron, zinc, manganese, cobalt, and cadmium are important and result from the contrasts between winter mixing depths and differences in vertical profiles of the different resources. The winter-time thickening of the mixed layer may replenish or deplete resources via entrainment, depending on the vertical nutrient profile. For nutrients like nitrate, phosphate, and cadmium, entrainment is a consistent source term. While for others, such as manganese and iron, entrainment can reduce ocean resource availability, particularly in subtropical regions. Any future change to the depth of winter-time mixing will cause region-specific changes in relative availability of different resources that may have important ecological consequences.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

To provide an observational basis for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections of a slowing Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the 21st century, the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) observing system was launched in the summer of 2014. The first 21-month record reveals a highly variable overturning circulation responsible for the majority of the heat and freshwater transport across the OSNAP line. In a departure from the prevailing view that changes in deep water formation in the Labrador Sea dominate MOC variability, these results suggest that the conversion of warm, salty, shallow Atlantic waters into colder, fresher, deep waters that move southward in the Irminger and Iceland basins is largely responsible for overturning and its variability in the subpolar basin.

Our understanding of the processes driving the patterns of dissolved iron (DFe) in the ocean interior, either in observations or models, is complicated by the combined influences of subduction from the surface mixed layer, notable subsurface sources, regeneration, and scavenging loss. We describe a ventilation-based framework to quantify these processes in a global ocean biogeochemical model including diagnostics along potential density surfaces. There is a prevailing control of subsurface DFe by the subduction of surface DFe as preformed DFe augmented by benthic sources of DFe from hydrothermal activity and sediments. Unlike phosphate, there is often a first-order balance with a near cancelation between regeneration and scavenging with the remaining “net regeneration” controlled by the ventilation of surface excesses in Fe-binding ligands. This DFe framework provides a more stringent test of how the total DFe distribution is mechanistically controlled within a model and may be subsequently used to interpret observed DFe distributions.

Our understanding of the processes driving the patterns of dissolved iron (DFe) in the ocean interior, either in observations or models, is complicated by the combined influences of subduction from the surface mixed layer, notable subsurface sources, regeneration, and scavenging loss. We describe a ventilation-based framework to quantify these processes in a global ocean biogeochemical model including diagnostics along potential density surfaces. There is a prevailing control of subsurface DFe by the subduction of surface DFe as preformed DFe augmented by benthic sources of DFe from hydrothermal activity and sediments. Unlike phosphate, there is often a first-order balance with a near cancelation between regeneration and scavenging with the remaining “net regeneration” controlled by the ventilation of surface excesses in Fe-binding ligands. This DFe framework provides a more stringent test of how the total DFe distribution is mechanistically controlled within a model and may be subsequently used to interpret observed DFe distributions.

Our understanding of the processes driving the patterns of dissolved iron (DFe) in the ocean interior, either in observations or models, is complicated by the combined influences of subduction from the surface mixed layer, notable subsurface sources, regeneration, and scavenging loss. We describe a ventilation-based framework to quantify these processes in a global ocean biogeochemical model including diagnostics along potential density surfaces. There is a prevailing control of subsurface DFe by the subduction of surface DFe as preformed DFe augmented by benthic sources of DFe from hydrothermal activity and sediments. Unlike phosphate, there is often a first-order balance with a near cancelation between regeneration and scavenging with the remaining “net regeneration” controlled by the ventilation of surface excesses in Fe-binding ligands. This DFe framework provides a more stringent test of how the total DFe distribution is mechanistically controlled within a model and may be subsequently used to interpret observed DFe distributions.

Agriculture in coastal areas of Puerto Rico is often adjacent to or near mangrove wetlands. Riparian buffers, while they may also be wetlands, can be used to protect mangrove wetlands from agricultural inputs of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides. We used simulation models and field data to estimate the water, nitrogen, and phosphorus inputs from an agricultural field and riparian buffer to a mangrove wetland in Jobos Bay watershed, Puerto Rico. We used the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) and the Riparian Ecosystem Management Model (REMM) models sequentially to simulate the hydrology and water quality of the agricultural fields and an adjacent riparian buffer, respectively. Depth to the water table surface was measured monthly at numerous sites in both field and riparian areas and were used with recording well data from outside the field to estimate daily water table depths in the field and riparian buffer and to calibrate field-scale hydrologic processes. Calibration and validation of the models were successful for the riparian buffer and in three of four field quadrants. In these areas the average simulated depth to water table for the field and the riparian buffer were within ±7% of field estimated water table depths. Over the 3-year study period, the riparian buffer represented by REMM reduced agricultural loadings to the mangrove wetland by 24% for sediment yield, and about 30% for total nitrogen and phosphorus. Simulations indicated that tropical storms and hurricanes played an important role in water and nutrient transport on this site contributing at least 63% of total sediment and nutrient loads.

The rate at which water masses are transformed from one density class to another is assessed in the shelf seas using the Walin (1982) framework. For a tidal-mixing front, the transformation is estimated using air-sea density fluxes and the diapycnal mixing diagnosed from a series of one-dimensional mixed layer models running across the shelf. These transformation rates diagnosed from the air-sea fluxes and diapycnal mixing agree with volume changes dagnosed directly from the model. The transformation from air-sea fluxes reaches a maximum amplitude typically twice that provided by diffusive mixing. This framework is extended to estimate the rate at which nutrients are converted in nutrient space including the effects of biological consumption. The transformation in density and nutrient space are broadly related in the spring when there is a relatively tight relationship between density and nutrient concentrations. For a shelf-break front in the Celtic Seas, the transformation is estimated from a combination of observed air-sea fluxes, remotely-sensed sea surface temperature and ship-based measurements of density and turbulent mixing. The transformation is controlled by diapycnal mixing along dense surfaces and by air-sea fluxes for lighter surfaces, and each contribution reaches comparable magnitudes over a six-month period

The rate at which water masses are transformed from one density class to another is assessed in the shelf seas using the Walin (1982) framework. For a tidal-mixing front, the transformation is estimated using air-sea density fluxes and the diapycnal mixing diagnosed from a series of one-dimensional mixed layer models running across the shelf. These transformation rates diagnosed from the air-sea fluxes and diapycnal mixing agree with volume changes dagnosed directly from the model. The transformation from air-sea fluxes reaches a maximum amplitude typically twice that provided by diffusive mixing. This framework is extended to estimate the rate at which nutrients are converted in nutrient space including the effects of biological consumption. The transformation in density and nutrient space are broadly related in the spring when there is a relatively tight relationship between density and nutrient concentrations. For a shelf-break front in the Celtic Seas, the transformation is estimated from a combination of observed air-sea fluxes, remotely-sensed sea surface temperature and ship-based measurements of density and turbulent mixing. The transformation is controlled by diapycnal mixing along dense surfaces and by air-sea fluxes for lighter surfaces, and each contribution reaches comparable magnitudes over a six-month period

The formation of eddies along tidal fronts in the shelf seas is investigated through both the analysis of high-resolution conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) data and drifters for the North Sea as well as experiments with an eddy-permitting model. Baroclinic eddies are difficult to observe in the shelf seas due to their small size, and their surface signals are dampened by air-sea interaction and eroded by wind and tidal mixing. High-resolution CTD profiles reveal possible eddy signals along the thermocline where there are intrusions of waters of reduced salinity on the eddy scale. These freshwater intrusions carry low potential vorticity, indicating their origin from the surface mixed layer. An instability analysis of these frontal systems suggests that these eddy signals can be formed by baroclinic instability. Numerical model integrations reveal that mesoscale eddy variability along the thermocline increases in strength in late summer, in accord with the increase in stratification. The stability analysis of the modeled fronts and the scaling of the eddy kinetic energy to the available potential energy are also consistent with baroclinic instability theory. While influencing the eddy variability through the passage of synoptic weather systems, wind energy input is too small to explain the high values of eddy kinetic energy during late summer. These eddy circulations provide localized regions of high vorticity and high stirring, which are important for the transfer of tracers at middepth, such as potential vorticity, salinity, and nutrients.

The formation of eddies along tidal fronts in the shelf seas is investigated through both the analysis of high-resolution conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) data and drifters for the North Sea as well as experiments with an eddy-permitting model. Baroclinic eddies are difficult to observe in the shelf seas due to their small size, and their surface signals are dampened by air-sea interaction and eroded by wind and tidal mixing. High-resolution CTD profiles reveal possible eddy signals along the thermocline where there are intrusions of waters of reduced salinity on the eddy scale. These freshwater intrusions carry low potential vorticity, indicating their origin from the surface mixed layer. An instability analysis of these frontal systems suggests that these eddy signals can be formed by baroclinic instability. Numerical model integrations reveal that mesoscale eddy variability along the thermocline increases in strength in late summer, in accord with the increase in stratification. The stability analysis of the modeled fronts and the scaling of the eddy kinetic energy to the available potential energy are also consistent with baroclinic instability theory. While influencing the eddy variability through the passage of synoptic weather systems, wind energy input is too small to explain the high values of eddy kinetic energy during late summer. These eddy circulations provide localized regions of high vorticity and high stirring, which are important for the transfer of tracers at middepth, such as potential vorticity, salinity, and nutrients.

On the shelf slope north of Scotland the rate of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation,calculated from density overturns, is 6±1×10-7 Wkg-1. Using a standard mixing efficiency, this dissipation rate is equivalent to a diapycnal diffusivity of 10-3 m2s-1, two orders of magnitude larger than typical open ocean background levels. The rate of TKE dissipation cannot be fully explained by local shear and strain measurements so we invoke a far-field source of energy, supplied in the form of internal waves, to drive mixing over the slope. The across-slope internal wave energy flux is 130 Wm-1 at semi-diurnal frequencies with 103±20 Wm-1 contained in the pycnocline. This can be reconciled with the TKE dissipation rate by assuming all the internal wave energy is dissipated in the ~4.5 km that the pycnocline intersects the slope. The rate of TKE dissipation inferred from this assumption is between 3 and 6×10-7 Wkg-1, comparable to the dissipation rate calculated from density overturns, and emphasizes the role of internal waves in the transfer of tidal energy, not just into the abyssal ocean, but around complex topography.

Despite similar physical properties, the Northern and Southern Atlantic subtropical gyres have different biogeochemical regimes. The Northern subtropical gyre, which is subject to iron deposition from Saharan dust1, is depleted in the nutrient phosphate, possibly as a result of iron-enhanced nitrogen fixation2. Although phosphate depleted, rates of carbon fixation in the euphotic zone of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre are comparable to those of the South Atlantic subtropical gyre3, which is not phosphate limited. Here we use the activity of the phosphorus-specific enzyme alkaline phosphatase to show potentially enhanced utilization of dissolved organic phosphorus occurring over much of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. We find that during the boreal spring up to 30% of primary production in the North Atlantic gyre is supported by dissolved organic phosphorus. Our diagnostics and composite map of the surface distribution of dissolved organic phosphorus in the subtropical Atlantic Ocean reveal shorter residence times in the North Atlantic gyre than the South Atlantic gyre. We interpret the asymmetry of dissolved organic phosphorus cycling in the two gyres as a consequence of enhanced nitrogen fixation in the North Atlantic Ocean4, which forces the system towards phosphorus limitation. We suggest that dissolved organic phosphorus utilization may contribute to primary production in other phosphorus-limited ocean settings as well.

Despite similar physical properties, the Northern and Southern Atlantic subtropical gyres have different biogeochemical regimes. The Northern subtropical gyre, which is subject to iron deposition from Saharan dust1, is depleted in the nutrient phosphate, possibly as a result of iron-enhanced nitrogen fixation2. Although phosphate depleted, rates of carbon fixation in the euphotic zone of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre are comparable to those of the South Atlantic subtropical gyre3, which is not phosphate limited. Here we use the activity of the phosphorus-specific enzyme alkaline phosphatase to show potentially enhanced utilization of dissolved organic phosphorus occurring over much of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. We find that during the boreal spring up to 30% of primary production in the North Atlantic gyre is supported by dissolved organic phosphorus. Our diagnostics and composite map of the surface distribution of dissolved organic phosphorus in the subtropical Atlantic Ocean reveal shorter residence times in the North Atlantic gyre than the South Atlantic gyre. We interpret the asymmetry of dissolved organic phosphorus cycling in the two gyres as a consequence of enhanced nitrogen fixation in the North Atlantic Ocean4, which forces the system towards phosphorus limitation. We suggest that dissolved organic phosphorus utilization may contribute to primary production in other phosphorus-limited ocean settings as well.

On the shelf slope north of Scotland the rate of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation,calculated from density overturns, is 6±1×10-7 Wkg-1. Using a standard mixing efficiency, this dissipation rate is equivalent to a diapycnal diffusivity of 10-3 m2s-1, two orders of magnitude larger than typical open ocean background levels. The rate of TKE dissipation cannot be fully explained by local shear and strain measurements so we invoke a far-field source of energy, supplied in the form of internal waves, to drive mixing over the slope. The across-slope internal wave energy flux is 130 Wm-1 at semi-diurnal frequencies with 103±20 Wm-1 contained in the pycnocline. This can be reconciled with the TKE dissipation rate by assuming all the internal wave energy is dissipated in the ~4.5 km that the pycnocline intersects the slope. The rate of TKE dissipation inferred from this assumption is between 3 and 6×10-7 Wkg-1, comparable to the dissipation rate calculated from density overturns, and emphasizes the role of internal waves in the transfer of tidal energy, not just into the abyssal ocean, but around complex topography.

Signatures of eddy variability and vorticity forcing are diagnosed in the atmosphere and ocean from weather center reanalysis and altimetric data broadly covering the same period, 1992-2002. In the atmosphere, there are localized regions of eddy variability referred to as storm tracks. At the entrance of the storm track the eddies grow, providing a downgradient heat flux and accelerating the mean flow eastward. At the exit and downstream of the storm track, the eddies decay and instead provide a westward acceleration. In the ocean, there are similar regions of enhanced eddy variability along the extension of mid-latitude boundary currents and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Within these regions of high eddy kinetic energy, there are more localized signals of high Eady growth rate and downgradient eddy heat fluxes. As in the atmosphere, there are localized regions in the Southern Ocean where ocean eddies provide statistically significant vorticity forcing, which acts to accelerate the mean flow eastward, provide torques to shift the jet, or decelerate the mean flow. These regions of significant eddy vorticity forcing are often associated with gaps in the topography, suggesting that the ocean jets are being locally steered by topography. The eddy forcing may also act to assist in the separation of boundary currents, although the diagnostics of this study suggest that this contribution is relatively small when compared with the advection of planetary vorticity by the time-mean flow

The North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) is associated with deep water formation at high latitudes, and climatically-important ocean-atmosphere heat fluxes, hence the current substantial effort to monitor the MOC. While it is expected that, on sufficiently long time scales, variations in the MOC would be coherent across latitudes south of the deep water formation region, it is not clear whether coherence should be expected at shorter timescales. In this paper, we investigate the coherence of MOC variations in a range of ocean models. We find that, across a range of model physics, resolution, and forcing scenarios, there is a change in the character of the overturning north and south of about 40 degrees N. To the north the variability has a strong decadal component, while to the south higher frequencies dominate. This acts to significantly reduce the meridional coherence of the MOC, even on interannual timescales. A physical interpretation in terms of an underlying meridionally coherent mode, strongest at high latitudes, but swamped by higher frequency, more localised processes south of 40 degrees N is provided. Citation: Bingham, R. J., C. W. Hughes, V. Roussenov, and R. G. Williams ( 2007), Meridional coherence of the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

The North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) is associated with deep water formation at high latitudes, and climatically-important ocean-atmosphere heat fluxes, hence the current substantial effort to monitor the MOC. While it is expected that, on sufficiently long time scales, variations in the MOC would be coherent across latitudes south of the deep water formation region, it is not clear whether coherence should be expected at shorter timescales. In this paper, we investigate the coherence of MOC variations in a range of ocean models. We find that, across a range of model physics, resolution, and forcing scenarios, there is a change in the character of the overturning north and south of about 40 degrees N. To the north the variability has a strong decadal component, while to the south higher frequencies dominate. This acts to significantly reduce the meridional coherence of the MOC, even on interannual timescales. A physical interpretation in terms of an underlying meridionally coherent mode, strongest at high latitudes, but swamped by higher frequency, more localised processes south of 40 degrees N is provided. Citation: Bingham, R. J., C. W. Hughes, V. Roussenov, and R. G. Williams ( 2007), Meridional coherence of the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

Signatures of eddy variability and vorticity forcing are diagnosed in the atmosphere and ocean from weather center reanalysis and altimetric data broadly covering the same period, 1992-2002. In the atmosphere, there are localized regions of eddy variability referred to as storm tracks. At the entrance of the storm track the eddies grow, providing a downgradient heat flux and accelerating the mean flow eastward. At the exit and downstream of the storm track, the eddies decay and instead provide a westward acceleration. In the ocean, there are similar regions of enhanced eddy variability along the extension of mid-latitude boundary currents and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Within these regions of high eddy kinetic energy, there are more localized signals of high Eady growth rate and downgradient eddy heat fluxes. As in the atmosphere, there are localized regions in the Southern Ocean where ocean eddies provide statistically significant vorticity forcing, which acts to accelerate the mean flow eastward, provide torques to shift the jet, or decelerate the mean flow. These regions of significant eddy vorticity forcing are often associated with gaps in the topography, suggesting that the ocean jets are being locally steered by topography. The eddy forcing may also act to assist in the separation of boundary currents, although the diagnostics of this study suggest that this contribution is relatively small when compared with the advection of planetary vorticity by the time-mean flow

Six specially processed crystals were mounted into sealed-off test envelopes and partially evaluated. Also, a demountable vacuum test head was furnished which was utilized for testing a considerable number of specially prepared crystals. (Author)